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Holiday Collection

The actress, mom, and crafter shares her holiday traditions, including two mouthwatering Christmas recipes, below.

By Jennifer Brunnemer Slaton

For actress, reality show star, and mom of four Tori Spelling, it wouldn't be Christmas without making handcrafted ornaments at her home near Los Angeles. It's a tradition that the former Beverly Hills, 90210 actress adopted as a kid.

"My mom was a crafter, and holidays were our time to do it big. Then when I had kids, it took on a whole new meaning for me," she says.

She has helpers in son Liam, 6, daughter Stella, 5 ("She calls herself a 'mini-craftista,'" Spelling says), daughter Hattie, 2, and even son Finn, 1—plus husband Dean McDermott, who starred with Spelling in their hit reality show Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood. (Their newest reality series begins this spring.)

"We make tons of decorated ornaments out of salt dough in every holiday shape," says Spelling, who also hosted TLC's Craft Wars last year. "I'm doing them every year with the kids, so by the time they're adults they'll have all their own ornaments."

Spelling celebrated both Christmas and Hanukkah with her mom and her famed producer dad, the late Aaron Spelling, and she carries on that tradition with her family today. "I grew up in a house where holidays were about family and celebrations of all kinds. Dean and I believe in that, too, and we want the kids to experience everything."

When it comes to her tree, Spelling cherishes her new DIY tradition: "The kids and Dean and I actually cut down our own tree at a place in Santa Clarita—you take a train ride, get a wagon, and saw your own tree!"

Spelling also gets crafty with her kids in the kitchen, baking up delicious holiday dishes. She shared two of her favorites with us.